Power Up!

251

Living with Intention & Fear of G-d

Dec 9, 2021

29:51

The Wednesday night crew take a look at what impact our actions have, fear of G-d-- what is that anyway!?! And how all this contributes to living with Intention. Send feedback to [email protected] or find me on Instagram @itsgilaross

252

2 Truths & a Lie: Prayer

Dec 8, 2021

20:00

I chat with Sari Kopitnikoff of That Jewish Moment about Prayer! Can you guess the lie?  ⭐️ There’s room for creativity and imagination within formal prayer  ⭐️ Knowing yourself can help you know God  ⭐️ Change what you pray every day to keep it fresh

253

Shabbat Treasures 8: Starting a Process that will Break Shabbat

Dec 4, 2021

25:17

Usually it's OK to start a melacha - a forbiden work before Shabbos even if the process will be activated during Shabbos, e.g. lighting a candle before Shabbos even though it will burn on Shabbos or setting a trap before Shabbos that will catch an animal on Shabbos. The exception to this is where the work is noisy, eg leaving on a clothes dryer, TV etc. One also has to be mindful of benefiting from a fellow Jew's work even when it's not Shabbos for you, eg one shouldn't listen to a radio show from Israel when they are into Shabbos even though you are still some time until Shabbos. * Timers are OK, e.g. for lights, for a hot plate to go on on Shabbos morning etc. * It is fine to mail a letter first class on Friday even though you knew it will be delivered on Shabbos day. There are a number of reasons for this, one being that at best you are asking someone who is asking someone else, rather than a direct request to a gentile to do work for you. * One other exception is leaving on a pot of cholent before shabbos. It's fine to do this, but due to concerns of adjusting a flame we are supposed to cover the flame. We bring in Shabbos before sunset on Friday. There is a custom to bring it in 18 mins before sunset if possible. The earliest time one can bring in Shabbos is an hour and a quarter of halachic hours before sunset. If one lit candles before this one would need to light again, beware in summer months when this can be late. For timings of times where you live, check myzmanim.org

254

From Hurt to Happy (Miketz)

Dec 2, 2021

7:05

When a person suffers through a painful experience, how can they rise above it? Is it possible to move to a place of joy? Joseph gives us inspiration. He was able to overcome and even name his child in gratitude for recovering from his difficulties. How?

255

Shabbos Treasures - Avoiding Distress & Weekday Activities

Nov 29, 2021

24:06

 Avoiding Distress, "Weekday Activities" and "Creative Changes" Not allowed to cause anyone anguish or emotional distress on Shabbos, e.g. can't share bad news. We don't comfort mourners under most circumstances. We don't fast on Shabbos. Don't even say tehillim for someone unless person is dangerously ill. Shouldn't play chess with someone if person will become depressed if he loses. In order to distinguish shabbos from other days,   we are to avoid "weekday activities" - "uvdin dechol". These are activities that closely resemble the type of thing we would do on a weekday, these activities are ones that would involve a "melacha" - 1 of forbidden types of work. Some examples: 1) Using a grater. Food can be chopped on shabbos but we shouldn't use a grater as it's an item which is usually associated with a melacha. 2) Hair brush. You can use a brush that you know won't pull out hairs but should designate a special shabbos brush even if your weekday one doesn't pull out hairs. 3) Using a computer example for zoom that's already switched on and you won't switch off after. Note a computer and zoom has other issues involved even when not being touched but would also full under this banner. ** On Shabbos we make the point of ceasing from creative acts. The Rabbis also added certain creative acts themselves. We can't create a new entity or bring about a dramatic creative change in a substance. Examples: 1) Crushing ice to water, as that change in substance is similar to a new entity. 2) Can't melt congealed fats to transform into a liquid. 3) Can't infuse a scent into a garment. 4) Not to strike a match on yom tov when it's permissable to make a fire.

256

Don't be Embarrassed of Your Failings

Nov 25, 2021

6:12

Joseph and Avraham teach us a new way to look at our failures - vayeishev

257

Shabbat Treasures - Preparing for After Shabbat

Nov 22, 2021

27:41

Shabbos Treasures Week 6 - Preparing for after Shabbos needs. Q) Pesach falls on a Saturday night, is it OK to have the kids sleep Shabbos afternoon so they will be up fresh and bright for Seder? Our Sages forbade any type of effort or preparation during shabbos or yom tov for after in order to preserve the restful character. Just like we shouldn't move many heavy tables and chairs unless for a mitzvah like shabbos meal so too here. It is not a problem to prepare when: 1)  it's not self evident why you are doing this.  2) it's done routinely, aka out of habit and it's a small deal to do this, as it's not "strenuous". We were asked what's the cut off on this? I think the answer is when it's done routinely and effortlessly by people our of habit and when we don't even have a conscious thought about it and it's simple i.e. it's not strenuous work, it's not deemed preparation. 3) a significant loss when involving a "minor" labor activity. 4) if useful to Shabbos e.g. it may give you pleasure now if its clean etc. Let's now look at a number of examples: 1) Washing dishes - not ok. So how to deal with on shabbos? You could leave in sink and as people wash their hands naturally over the day they get rinsed. 2) Wiping a table top clean: not ok, unless you will enjoy the clean table now. 3) Arranging dirty dishes in dishwasher; not ok, but if mess of dirty plates bothers you, you could put it in.  4) Making beds; not ok, unless them being messy bothers you.  5) Arranging dozens of books in shul; not ok. 6) Bringing wine for Havdalla from fridge before shabbos is out, not ok. 7) Returning a book to bookshelf; fine as out of habit not preparation. 8) Taking a coat for a walk on shabbos when not raining right now; ok as it's "common place" activity. 9) Taking out a key in a city with eruv; ok, same as 8. 10) Putting leftover challah in freezer; ok as preventing a loss. 11) Tidying up a room; ok if mess bothers you. 12) Leftovers in fridge; ok but don't say your doing it for tomorrow. Sleeping on Shabbat afternoon to be fresh after Shabbat, ok as long as don't express why your sleeping.  Any questions, email [email protected]

258

W4W: Perception & Judgement Calls

Nov 22, 2021

25:18

Is there a time and place for making a judgement call about others? The Wednesday night group looks at Sarah and Hagar and their approach to judging others and the insights it can give us into how and when we use our judgement.

259

Joseph & 2 Words for Peace of Mind (vayeishev)

Nov 18, 2021

7:06

How do we achieve peace of mind? Joseph was thrown challenge after challenge. His brothers hate him, he's languishing in prison. Yet two words give him the ability to have peace of mind.

260

Shabbos Treasures 5: What Weekday Activities Can't I Do?

Nov 14, 2021

26:35

The question we are looking at in this episode is: There is a sale I want to go to right after shabbat? Can I walk there on Shabbat so I can be there right as Shabbat ends? The prophet's words are a form of "rest" to protect spirit of Shabbos. As its the prophet's speaking it carries weight. In Yeshaya it says "you shall honour the Shabbos in your goings by refraining from pursuing your weekday occupations and from speaking of them". Basically referring to 3 elements: 1) Walking 2) Weekday occupations 3) Speech  

261

The Powerful Tool We Overlook (Vayetzei)

Nov 12, 2021

5:37

A story of trickery and deception and how we discover our most powerful and often overlooked tool!

262

BONUS: Inspiration with Stories2inspire

Nov 8, 2021

32:24

We talk with Daniel Agalar, founder of Stories to Inspire about all things inspiration: where he finds inspiration, what to do when we are inspired and what to do when we aren't inspired and some myths around inspiration. This is one episode you don't want to miss!

263

Shabbos Treasures 4: Asking Others to Do the Work

Nov 5, 2021

32:27

Is it OK to: 1) ask a Jew who isn't particular about Shabbos to turn off a light? 2) ask a non-Jew to turn your light on? 3) ask a non-Jew to turn your annoying alarm off? 4) ask your non-Jewish cleaner to clean up from Shabbos? 5) ask your non-Jewish cleaner to set up for Saturday night event?  6) plug in your freezer which is full of meat when the plug got knocked out? 7) ask a non-Jew to bring you Challah from your neighbor when there is no eruv when you realise on Shabbos that you have run out of Challah?

264

Shabbos Treasures 3 - Muktza

Oct 29, 2021

35:15

We will look at these scenarios and see whether it's muktza and your stuck or if there is a way to move?: 1) play in sandpit 2) phone left on a bed 3) crack open a nut with a hammer 4) throw out dirty nappy 5) move fallen sukkah decorations that have fallen in sukkah 6) fresh egg your chicken lays 7) use shabbos table for shabbos day once candlesticks were on it Friday night

265

Shabbos Treasure 2

Oct 21, 2021

19:21

What would shabbos look like without rabbinic laws?

266

Learning about Loyalty from a Pit & A Wild Cat

Oct 17, 2021

8:44

This is a bonus episode because it's too good not to share! After the last episode on faith and loyalty, I had to share this amazing, crazy, wild story about a pit, a ferret, a boy and a girl and what it teaches us about the relationship between truth and loyalty. (Lech Lecha)

267

Shabbos Treasures 1

Oct 15, 2021

23:25

First part of our new series, Shabbos Treasures - upgrade your shabbat in just 20-30 minutes weekly. Written summary available on request.

268

Is Your Goal Realistic?

Oct 7, 2021

24:30

Do you even have a goal? Is it good to have a goal? Listen in on our fabulous Wednesday group discuss about goals, having them, why we should or we shouldn't and how we know if our goal is attainable. To join an upcoming Wednesday evening session, in person, over zoom or on Instagram live, message +44-7990-333-946.

269

Delusional? or Dreamer? - Sukkot Edition

Sep 17, 2021

8:20

A friend shared their dream with me and, unfortunately, the cynical part of me raised its ugly head 🙈 ) which got me thinking about dreaming and being delusional and the difference between the two. Surprisingly sukkot taught me the difference. Share your feedback via WhatsApp +447990-333-946 or on Instagram @gilaross

270

Leaving Failures Behind

Sep 9, 2021

6:09

This is how you leave your failures behind!!

271

Life's Delete Button

Sep 2, 2021

10:11

You know that pit feeling you get in your stomach when you realise you've messed up 🙈 and you wish you could just back up and delete what you just did. Well what if I told you that we actually can delete our mistakes. In this short episode I share how we can delete our mistakes.

272

Vulnerability, Faith & High Holiday SOS with Ruchi Koval

Aug 26, 2021

24:39

Are podcasters allowed to have a favourite!?! 😜 Well this episode with the fabulous Ruchi Koval just may be it! We talk about her vulnerability, her struggle when life threw her curveballs and some incredible tips for the High Holidays. If there is one podcast you're going to listen to before the high holidays this is it!

273

Why an Elite Athlete Chooses Dressing Modestly? with Beatie Deutsch

Aug 19, 2021

15:45

If you're going to listen to one episode, this is it! I talk to Beatie Deutsch, Israeli National Marathon Champion and elite athlete, who has made waves as an Orthodox mom who races in modest clothing - with a head covering and wearing a skirt. She talks about how dressing modestly may slow her timing down and why she chooses to race in modest clothing even though her timing is so important - after all what can possibly be more important than winning?

274

How Bowing Helped me Address Self-doubt

Jul 22, 2021

5:55

I was talking with a friend about social media and how it can so quickly fill us with self-doubt. Interestingly enough, the bowing that we do during prayers can help us out here. What? How? Listen to find out! (Zokef kefufim)

275

3 Tips for Summer Parenting

Jul 20, 2021

19:26

Summer vacation, summer holiday - whatever you call it comes with its own set of challenges... and opportunities! In this practical episode we look at a few simple tips to help us reduce the challenges and maximise the opportunity!! Which one will you try out? Happy summer!

276

The Truth about Freedom

Jul 15, 2021

8:20

A very timely episode this week. We hear an inspiring story of a prisoner in Siberia and a butterfly in a cocoon and we look at what it means to be free. Physically and emotionally. What does freedom mean to you?

277

Secrets of Communication with Ourselves & Kids

Jul 12, 2021

17:09

Ever had the experience of trying to talk sense to someone who just wasn't listening? And wondered what is the point even? In this episode of parenting in 20 minutes we look at why there is a point and we also look at the TEST-EX for excellent communication, for communicating in a way that actually gets through to their kids!

278

What Football Taught me About This Time of Year

Jul 8, 2021

5:47

I was watching the excitement as England won the semi-finals last night and the hope that filled social media that they win the Euro Championship. It would be the first time since 1966 that England has won!! It got me thinking about how it relates to the time of year we are currently in, a time of year that's usually quite difficult to relate to. This episode is sponsored for the merit of Eliezer Ben Shimshon.

279

How Well Do You Know Yourself?

Jul 8, 2021

24:19

I saw a quote on Instagram 'Successful people know the difference between tired and lazy' and it got me thinking... Is it true? Do we really know the difference between when we are procrastinating between tiredness and laziness? Or when we are actually thinking things through properly and when we are overthinking things? How well do we actually know ourselves and what is the antidote?

280

What do Your Clothes Say About You?

Jul 1, 2021

5:42

A fascinating story of a homeless person who chose to wear a suit leads us into a look at clothing... Why can animals walk around naked but for humans it's not quite so acceptable? What does our clothing teach us? This episode has been sponsored by Abe & Co Coffee, which was created by Guy Levine to bring the best in artisan coffee to Coffee lovers around the UK. After being a coffee lover himself for many years he wanted to share what made a special coffee - the diversity of different growing countries, different processes and many different ways to drink. To make great coffee available to everyone. Guy believes that the best coffee is the one you love drinking! They sell their coffee ground or as whole beans. Have a great selection and are always happy to give advice! Visit www.abeandco.co.uk and use code powerup for a 10% discount. To sponsor an episode of the podcast, email [email protected]

281

Who Cares About the Details?

Jul 1, 2021

20:14

Does G-d actually care about the details? What difference do the little things even make? And what should our relationship with G-d be based on? Love? Fear? What is fear of G-d anyway and is it a good thing? Join the Wednesday evening group for a fascinating look at these topics!

282

Life Lessons from Those We Teach

Jun 29, 2021

20:03

In this third episode of the 3 types of relationships we need in our lives, we look at our relationship with those who have less life experience than us, whether they are students, children or others that we can teach, why it's so important to have those relationships and how they can prompt us to be our best self.

283

Inspiration & the Greatest Parenting Tool

Jun 27, 2021

16:43

Hear some inspiration from parents that have started to implement the easy to use strategies and hear about our greatest parenting tool and how to leverage it to continue to build strong relationships with our children that can lay the foundation for us to be able to teach them our values.

284

On Going Blind & Finding Clarity

Jun 24, 2021

6:32

If you ever thought prayers were archaic and out of touch you gotta listen to this one!! Ingrid was a 37 mum of 2 who was given the devastating news that she would lose her sight... In this episode of the morning mindfulness series we look at the blessing for sight and we go deeper to gain clarity (pun intended!)

285

Mindfulness: What are You Worth?

Jun 17, 2021

4:07

Our emotions are fragile!! Use this mindfulness technique to regulate them and to feel deeply that we are enough!!

286

The 4 Qualities of a Good Friend

Jun 17, 2021

22:00

In this episode, the Wednesday women's discussion group looks at the second leg of the tripod of objectivity: our horizontal relationships. We look at what it takes to be a good friend and what happens when we outgrow a relationship.

287

Parenting: Empathy, Silence and Talking to our Kids

Jun 16, 2021

21:22

Let's clarify how we display empathy to our kids and we delve into what silence is and how it's a powerful tool in the way we talk to our kids. To join the challenge (explained in episode) message +44-7990-333-946.

288

Mindfulness: What Are You a Slave To?

Jun 10, 2021

4:55

A powerful thing to be grateful for! Freedom and the choice to choose again and again!! Challenge yourself to articulate this in the morning and let it carry you through your choices of the day! I'd love to hear how the challenge went for you! (Words are: G-d the source of all blessings, Master of the World, have not made me a slave)

289

3 Types of Relationships: A Bit Personal!

Jun 10, 2021

24:55

We're social beings! Noone can travel through this journey of life on their own. In this episode, together with the Wednesday evening women's group I got a bit personal as we looked at 3 different types of relationships and how they come together to support our growth.

290

Parenting with Empathy in Real Life

Jun 10, 2021

13:38

We all want to develop strong relationships with our kids so that they know they can come to us with their issues and that they respect us enough to learn from us. In this episode we look at developing the all important skill of empathy during the busyness of real life.

291

MM: Anti-Semitism and Being A Jew

Jun 3, 2021

5:10

The past few weeks have seen a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism across the world, and the amount of hate and anti-Israel on social media has been overwhelming. Yet, each morning we take a moment to be grateful for bring Jewish. In this episode of morning mindfulness we examine why we are grateful. To watch this video: https://youtu.be/wZEbmSzVcOY

292

A Fascinating Story of Failure & Perfection

Jun 2, 2021

16:58

Failure can be so disappointing! In this episode I chat with Rina Deutsch about her failure and how it took her on a journey she wouldn't have gone on otherwise and what it taught her about perfection. Rina Deutsch is a motivational speaker who shares a unique blend of Jewish wisdom and modern understanding to increase positivity, helping people face challenges so they can enjoy a happier, more meaningful life. She teaches Judaic Studies at a girls’ high school in Toronto and gives Jewish pre-marital and general classes in person and online. Rina delights in the opportunity to share and connect with others in a warm, humorous, and sincere way. Rina lives with her husband, 5 children, and way too much laundry in the Toronto area. You can find her on Instagram at @rinadeutsch

293

MM: Fear of the Unknown & Decisions

May 27, 2021

6:29

Life is filled with decisions and choices. It can be confusing to know what to do -- and sometimes our fear can get in the way. In this episode of morning mindfulness let's learn to overcome fear and make decisions with clarity. Dedicated in memory of Rachel bat Pesach.

294

Happiness During Challenging Times

May 27, 2021

27:09

How do we access happiness during challenging times? Is it realistic? In this episode we explore a mindset shift that can make all the difference.

295

3 Elements of Effective Listening

May 26, 2021

22:00

Yes yes listening is important in relationships! All relationships not just with our kids. But it's not always easy! Life is busy, kids can be reluctant to talk. In this episode we examine 3 elements to effective listening, plus am exercise to practice to bring the benefits of those skills to life. To join a parenting course or for individualized parenting solutions please contact [email protected] or +447990-333-946.

296

Morning Mindfulness - Your Amazing Body!

May 20, 2021

5:49

In this episode of morning mindfulness we look at a powerful and new way to look at your amazing body! And we explore where using that mindfulness will take us and how it can really change our days. The blessing we explore is: "You, our G-d, Source of all blessings, Master of the World, created people with wisdom and made our bodies so complex with many cavities and many openings. It is obvious and known to You that if even one of them were to rupture or become blocked, it would be impossible to survive and to stand before You. You, Source of all blessings, Master of the World, heals our bodies and make wondrous creations. Complete the morning mindfulness challenge and let me know how it felt! You can get in touch on Instagram @gilaross or Facebook.

297

Our Relationship with Israel

May 20, 2021

20:24

It's been really tense in Israel and in this episode we dig deep and explore what our relationship is with Israel? What makes that country unique? To join an upcoming session message Gila at +44-7990-333-946

298

Your Life Curriculum

May 13, 2021

4:45

Next up on the morning mindfulness series: we take a look at what it means to live with soul - spoiler alert: it's better than you thought and how we find our life curriculum. To sponsor an episode email [email protected].

299

Shavuot & the Non Refundable Gift

May 13, 2021

32:23

Tapping into the spiritual energy of this time of year and how it relates to our lives. To sponsor an episode email [email protected].

300

Incentives

May 12, 2021

21:24

How and when do we use incentives in parenting? What are the best types of incentives to use? Let us know how the ideas you hear work for your family. If you'd like personalised solutions for your family email [email protected].

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